Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and San Jose

For one person, living is cheaper in San Jose: $1,938 a month against $2,198 in La Crosse, WI, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in La Crosse, WI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

107

Cost of Living Index in La Crosse, WI
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La Crosse, WI Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in San Jose
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San Jose Living Index

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La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,198

/mo nomad

San Jose

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in La Crosse, WI and in San Jose

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in La Crosse, WI and in San Jose actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,198 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $1,938 in San Jose, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $2,198
San Jose $1,938

A couple spends around $3,399 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $2,936 in San Jose, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $3,399
San Jose $2,936

A family of three spends $4,601 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $3,934 in San Jose, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $4,601
San Jose $3,934

La Crosse, WI costs about 13% more than San Jose, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both La Crosse, WI and San Jose sit above the global median – La Crosse, WI by 63%, San Jose by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 $14.98

$12.38 ₡5,551

21.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 $71.2

$60.9 ₡27.3K

17.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 $11.17

$11.45 ₡5,135

-2.45%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$4.39 ₡1,967

28.70%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.70 ₡1,211

-18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.93 ₡864

-38.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.20 ₡1,433

38.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.41 ₡1,979

35.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$2.44 ₡1,093

-70.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.05 ₡1,369

-16.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.41 ₡1,081

97.93%

Eggs

$2.40 $2.40

$3.40 ₡1,523

-29.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$10.75 ₡4,823

-7.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$10.43 ₡4,679

2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.45 $16.45

$13.99 ₡6,273

17.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$5.25 ₡2,353

-6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.59 ₡712

-30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$4.69 ₡2,103

-33.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.95 ₡1,770

32.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$3.92 ₡1,760

-48.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.68 ₡1,651

-37.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.12 ₡503

83.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$3.19 ₡1,429

-46.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 $9.74

$6.00 ₡2,692

62.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 $11.04

$19.56 ₡8,771

-43.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.82 ₡1,263

-35.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.59 ₡1,611

-45.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.12 ₡503

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.58 $35.58

$66.8 ₡30.0K

-46.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.50 ₡1,119

37.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.63 ₡733

17.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.67 $44.67

$8.50 ₡3,812

425.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.56 ₡701

-42.95%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.8K $38.8K

$22.4K ₡10.0M

73.25%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.3K $24.3K

$35.6K ₡16.0M

-31.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$206 $206

$95.2 ₡42.7K

116.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$54.4 $54.4

$35.58 ₡16.0K

53.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$58.6 ₡26.3K

14.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.44 $39.44

$72.7 ₡32.6K

-45.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 $3.95

$24.85 ₡11.1K

-84.10%

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 $11.92

$7.58 ₡3,401

57.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$890 $890

$1,001 ₡449.0K

-11.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 $63.3

$70.5 ₡31.6K

-10.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.3 $63.3

$55.8 ₡25.0K

13.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 $79.6

$130 ₡58.2K

-38.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$131 ₡58.7K

-7.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 $763

$927 ₡415.8K

-17.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 $1,000

$774 ₡347.2K

29.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 $2,227

$1,967 ₡882.0K

13.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 $1,983

$1,288 ₡577.6K

53.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,274 ₡1.0M

-16.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 $1,920

$1,831 ₡821.0K

4.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,088 $4,088

$1,016 ₡455.8K

302.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

8.62

-23.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for La Crosse, WI: October 12, 2026

Last update for San Jose: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

La Crosse, WI

$1K 45.5%

San Jose

$774 40% 22.6% $226

Groceries & Markets

La Crosse, WI

$338 15.4%

San Jose

$401 20.7% 18.6% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Crosse, WI

$328 14.9%

San Jose

$189 9.8% 42.2% $138

Eating Out

La Crosse, WI

$269 12.2%

San Jose

$229 11.8% 14.7% $39

Clothing & Footwear

La Crosse, WI

$147 6.7%

San Jose

$174 9% 18.4% $27

Sport & Entertainment

La Crosse, WI

$63 2.9%

San Jose

$88 4.5% 38.8% $25

Getting Around

La Crosse, WI

$52 2.4%

San Jose

$82 4.2% 56.2% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $763 in La Crosse, WI versus $927 in San Jose. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 302% higher in La Crosse, WI, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in La Crosse, WI versus $61.0 in San Jose. Groceries tell a different story – $338 in La Crosse, WI vs $401 in San Jose – so La Crosse, WI wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 La Crosse, WI

🇨🇷 San Jose

🕒 Local time

04:14 4:14 AM

03:14 3:14 AM

1 h behind La Crosse, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,680

342,188 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

CRC to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

La Crosse, WI San Jose 3,830 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

La Crosse, WI
San Jose

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

La Crosse, WI vs San Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,198 in La Crosse, WI, $1,938 in San Jose – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,297 per month in La Crosse, WI and $2,907 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Jose, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in La Crosse, WI – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in La Crosse, WI and $61.0 in San Jose. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in San Jose, where all-in costs run around $1,938, than in La Crosse, WI at $2,198. In San Jose it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Crosse, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Jose has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,938 in San Jose to $2,198 in La Crosse, WI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Jose. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Crosse, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.